a person who he fears will falsify his statement. Never does he ask for anything from a person who he fears will refuse it. Never does a man of reason make a promise which he thinks he
cannot fulfil. Never does he entertain any hope for a thing which he fears he will be reprimanded for. And never does he take any initiative in a task in which, he fears, he will fail because of
his disability."
13. ،¥Ali ibn Muhammad (،X) Sahl ibn Ziyad (rafa،¦ahu) [related the following tradition without mentioning the source] quoted Am.r almu'min.n, the Chief of the believers, as
saying:
"Reason is the best covering curtain, while accomplishment is an external beauty. Then cover your flaws by your accomplishment and eliminate your evil desires with your reason. This will
compel you to such an extent that it (love for you) will manifest itself openly."
14. A group of our associates (،X) Ahmad ibn Muhammad (،X) ،¥Ali ibn Hƒmad.d (،X) Sama،¥ah ibn Mihran as saying:
"I was in the presence of (Imam) Abu ،¥Abdillah (p.b.u.h.). Once, he (the Imam) was in the company of his followers and his disciples. And there ensued a discussion about Reason and
Ignorance.
"(Imam) Abu ،¥Abdillah observed: ،¥Recognise Reason and its paraphernalia, and also recognise Ignorance and its paraphernalia. If you do so, you will receive guidance.،¦،¨
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Sama،¥ah (one of the audience) said, "May my life be sacrificed for you, we know not except what you have taught us." Upon this (Imam) Abu ،¥Abdillah (p.b.u.h.) explained: "Lo, Almighty God
created the Reason out of His Own Light on the right side of His throne and it was the first creation among the spirits. After its creation Almighty God commanded it to go back (to life in this
world) the intellect (Reason) obeyed the order. Then God commanded it to come forward (towards) Him.
The intellect did accordingly. Upon this, God addressed it with the words, ،¥I have created you in all your glory and bestowed upon you the honour and preferences over all of My
creatures.،¦ After-wards, Almighty God created Ignorance out of the dark and saltish ocean and ordered it to go back (to life in this world). Ignorance did accordingly. Then God ordered it to
come to Him (life hereafter). Ignorance did not obey the command. Therefore, God addressed it thus: ،¥You are conceited,،¦ and then God cursed it.
"Afterwards Almighty God bestowed seventy-five armies on Reason. When Ignorance 'observed how God has honoured Reason and how God bestowed upon it the armies, feeling of hostility sprang in
its breast; and Ignorance addressed God, ،¥O،¦ my Lord! Reason is a creation as I am, you have created it, honoured it, and also strengthened it with the armies of capabilities, and I am exactly
the opposite of it. I have not been strengthened (to compete with it). Hence bestow upon me the armies (capabilities)
as you have done on Reason.،¦ The Almighty God accepted its request and said, ،¥Should you defy My orders again I shall dismiss you and your allies from My clemency.،¦ Ignorance said, ،¥I
accept (the condition).،¦ The Almighty God bestowed upon it seventy-five forces."
Good which has been appointed as the waz.r (vizier) of Reason is the opposite of Evil which, in its turn, is the waz.r of Ignorance; Faith and Belief, opposite of which is Disbelief;
Confirmation, the opposite of which is Repudiation; Hope, the opposite of which is Frustration; Justice, the opposite of which is Oppression; Divine Pleasure, the opposite of which is (divine)
displeasure; Gratitude, the opposite of which is Ingratitude;
Optimism (in respect of all good in this life and the life hereafter), the opposite of which is Pessimism; Complete Reliance on God, the opposite of which is Lust and greed (which is the
result of distrust in God); Kind heartedness, the opposite of which is Hard heartedness; Mercifulness, the opposite of which is Indignation; Knowledge,
the opposite of which is Ignorance; Wisdom, the opposite of which is Stupidity; Chastity, the opposite of which is Shamelessness; Renunciation (from what God has declared to be unlawful),
the opposite of which is Temptation; Friendliness and Sociability, the opposite of which is Stupidity and Awkwardness (which doesn't enable a man to adjust himself to the society); Divine Fear,
the opposite of which is Audacity; Humility, the opposite of which is Conceit; Ease, the opposite of which is Hastiness; Forbearance, the opposite of which is Insolence and shallowness of mind;
Silence, the opposite of which is Garrulity; Resignation to God, the opposite of which is Conceit and defiance; Acceptance, the opposite of which is Scepticism.
Patience, the opposite of which is Impatience and restlessness; Forgiveness, the opposite of which is Vengeance; Contentment, the opposite of which is Neediness; Remembrance (of God and the
life hereafter), the opposite of which is Forget-fullness and indifference; Keeping (in mind), the opposite of which is Forgetfulness and oblivion; Sympathy (with others), the opposite of which
is Estrangement and alienation; Contentment, the opposite of which is Greed; Consolation, the opposite of which is Forbiddance; Amity, the opposite of which is Enmity;
Fidelity, the opposite of which is Treachery; Obedience (to God and His prophets), the opposite of which is Defiance and disobedience (to them); Submission, the opposite of which is
Domination; Safety and Security, the opposite of which is Calamity and peril; Love, the opposite of which is Hatred and detestation; Truthfulness, the opposite of which is Falsehood; Right, the
opposite of which is Wrong; Discharge of Trust, the opposite of which is Defalcation; Sincerity (purity of motives), the opposite of which is Hypocrisy (mixed motives);
Gallantry, the opposite of which is Cowardice; (Understanding, the opposite of which is Stupidity; Knowledge [of God and His religion], the opposite of which is [their]
denial).
Affability and Toleration (which leads to the keeping of secrets of others), the opposite of which is Exposure and Betrayal; Soundness and, good faith for others behind their back, the
opposite of which is Cunning and Double-talk. Covering the secrets (of others), the opposite of which is their exposure; Observance of prayers, the opposite of which is the neglect of prayers;
Observance of Fast, the opposite of which is Gluttony; Struggle (in propagating truth), the opposite of which is the withdrawal from it.
Performance of Pilgrimage at Mecca, which means the observance of pledge made to God before creation (i.e. not to worship any one except Allah), the opposite of which is Violation of that
Pledge; Concealing the tales of others, the opposite of which is tale-bearing; Doing good to Parents, the opposite of which is disobeying and disregarding their rights; Reality as against
display; Good as against being bad;
Self-concealment and Self-restraint (in respect of one's capabilities) as against self-adornment and self-aggrandisement; Guarding the secret of religion from the enemies to save life as a
measure of strategy as against its senseless disclosure involving loss of prestige and life; Doing justice as against partiality; Organisation in human society (i.e. cordiality of social
relations) as against iniquity and injustice;
Purity and refinement as against. impurity and coarseness; Modesty as against immodesty; Moderation as against extravagance; Cheerfulness and freshness of heart as against fatigue and
depression; Facility as against adversity; Blessing and enrichment as against wretchedness and eradication; [Safety and Good Health as against calamity and affliction;] Steadfastness as against
garrulity; Wisdom as against worldly possessions; Prestige and reverence as against lowness and lightness; Happiness and felicity as against unhappiness and misery;
Repentance and penitence as against persistence, in sinful life; Repentance (i.e. asking God for forgiveness) as against deception and guile over one's sins; Preservation (of one's
capabilities and possessions) as against negli- gence and carelessness; Prayerfulness to God as against turning away from Him; Liveliness with briskness as against dullness with sloth;
Delightfulness as against sadness; Friendship, intimacy and union against separation and disunion;
Generosity as against miserliness. All the said high qualities which serve as a powerful army of Reason are never concentrated in any single individual except in a Prophet, his vicegerent
and a believer whose faith has duly been tried and tested by the Almighty God. And there is no friend of ours (divinely appointed Imam) who does not possess any of these qualities but also
possess at the same time some of the disabilities allotted to ignorance until he develops his Reason to perfection and eradicates the disability accruing from ignorance.
It is at this stage that he is installed in the high ranks at par with the prophet and his vicegerents. This higher status is achieved through the recognition of Reason and its formidable
army and after keeping aloof from ignorance and its allies. May God grant us the ability to obey God and earn His pleasures.
15. A group of our (al-Kulayni's) associates (،X) Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn 'ha (،X) al-Hƒmasan ibn ،¥Ali ibn Fadƒudƒual (،X) some of our associates (،X) Abu ،¥Abdillah (p.b.u.h.) as
saying:
"Never did the Prophet of Islam address the people according to the full extent and depth of his own reason. (On the contrary) the Prophet used to say, ،¥We the group of prophets have been
ordained (by God) always to speak to the people according to their mental capacity.،¦ "
16. ،¥Ali ibn Muhammad (،X) Sahl ibn Ziyad (،X) an-Nawfali (،X) as-Sak.ni (،X) Ja،¥far (as-Sƒladiq) (،X) his father (Muhammad al-Baqir - p.b.
u.h.) (،X) Am.r al-mu،¦min.n (Ali - p.b.u.h.), as saying :
"Hearts (emotions) of the rustic are instigated by lust. Their longings imprison them and their hearts are trapped into illusions and deceptions (of life)."
17. ،¥Ali ibn Ibrah.m (،X) his father (،X) Ja،¥far ibn Muhammad al-Ash،¥ari (،X) ،¥Ubaydillah al-Dihqan (،X) Durust (،X) Ibrah.m ibn ،¥Abdi'l-Ham.d (،X) Abu ،¥Abdillah (p.b.u.h.) as saying
:
"In point of reason the most perfect man is he who has the noblest bearing."
18. ،¥Ali (،X) his father (،X) Abi Hashim al-Ja،¥fari said:
"We were in the company of (Imam) ،¥Ali ar-Rida (p.b.u.h.), when a discussion about reason, education and culture ensued. The Imam observed, ،¥O،¦ Aba Hashim! Reason and Intellect is a free
gift of Allah, but education and culture are a laborious acquisition. One who takes pains in their acquisition acquires them. And one who takes pains in acquiring intellect promotes nothing but
his own ignorance.،¦ "
19. ،¥Ali ibn Ibrah.m (،X) his father (،X) Yahƒuya ibn al-Mubarak (،X) ،¥Abdullah ibn Jabalah (،X) Is'hƒuaq ibn ،¥Ammar (،X) Abu ،¥Abdillah (p.b.u.h.) as saying :
"My neighbour is the most devout in his prayers, in giving alms and in performing pilgrimages. Nor is there anything bad in his composition." The Imam asked (،¥Ammar) about the kind of
intellect and reason he has. ،¥Ammar (the reporter) replied, "May my life be sacrificed for you, he has not (exploited his) intellect and reasoning power in religion." Hearing this the Imam
remarked: "His status (in the eye of Allah) will not be any the higher just because of his devout performances."
20. al-Hƒmusayn ibn Muhammad (،X) Ahmad ibn Muhammad as-Sayyari (،X) Abi Ya،¥q.b al-Baghdadi, as stated:
"Ibn as-Sikk.t (the great scholar of his time) inquired from Imam Abu'1-Hƒmasan(،¥Ali al-Hadi) the reason why Almighty Allah sent M.sa (Moses ،X the prophet) along with the staff, the
luminous palm and with instruments (to dispel) magic. And why ،¥Isa (Jesus ،X the prophet) was sent with the medical miracles. And why the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him and upon all the
prophets, was sent with the gift of oration." (Imam) Abu'l-Hƒmasan (p.b.u.h.) replied, ،¥It is because when Moses (p.b.u.h.), was sent it was the time when magic had its sway over the
people.
Hence Moses (p.b.u.h.) brought with him such divine power as the people (scientists) of that time did not possess, power which completely.
